The transition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) to the new Julian calendar has radically changed the usual dates of religious celebrations. Today, users are already searching in detail for the relevant new dates of holidays in July and a schedule of what and when you can eat after the completed fast to Peter and Paul. Therefore, we decided to create this maximally optimized material based on the data of the church calendar of the UOC.
Key holidays to know about this month (in brief)
The month of July has many important holidays, such as: Ilya 2026, Prince Vladimir’s Day in the new style.
New calendar for July 2026: main changes and features of the month
July, according to the New Julian style, is not just the peak of hot summer and work in the garden or at the dacha, but also a time of prayer and a period of great summer holidays, which previously fell in the middle and end of the month or in August at all. Since the Petrine Lent in 2026 ended at the end of June (due to an early Easter), July is a transitional month, which makes it ideal for planning a period of weddings, christenings, and lavish family feasts.
The main emphases of the month have shifted to the first half of July. In particular, the days of memory of Saint Princess Olga and Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr are now celebrated 13 days earlier, which directly affects the celebration of Ukrainian Statehood Day .
TOP-5 most important church holidays in July 2026
To make it easier for Christians who celebrate according to the new calendar to navigate major religious events and not miss them when planning work in the garden or at home, below in the material, we have highlighted the main dates in July 2026:
- July 1 — Saints Cosmas and Damian of Rome (formerly July 14). Day of prayer for healing from illness.
- July 11 — Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga (formerly July 24). A great national and religious holiday.
- July 15 – Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr the Great (formerly July 28). Baptist of Rus’-Ukraine.
- July 20 — Saint Glorious Prophet Elijah (formerly August 2). Traditional summer equinox.
- July 27 – Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon (formerly August 9). One of the most revered saints in the Christian world.
Detailed daily holiday calendar for July 2026 (New Julian style by day)
For the convenience of our readers, we publish a detailed schedule of each day of the month with a note about possible fasting and the day of the week (weekend or workday).
| Date | Day of the week | What holiday do we celebrate / Who do we honor? | Mealtime rules (fasting) |
| July 1 | Wednesday | Saints Cosmas and Damian of Rome, the Silver-Bearers | Fasting day (vegetable food) |
| July 2 | Thursday | The Laying of the Honorable Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos in Blachernae | No post |
| July 3 | Friday | Holy Martyr Jacinth; Saint Anatoly, Patriarch of Constantinople | Fasting day |
| July 4 | Saturday | Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete; Saint Martha | No post |
| July 5 | Sunday | Venerable Athanasius of Athos | No post |
| July 6 | Monday | Venerable Sisoy the Great | No post |
| July 7 | Tuesday | Venerable Thomas and Acakias | No post |
| July 8 | Wednesday | Holy Great Martyr Procopius | Fasting day |
| July 9 | Thursday | Hieromartyr Pancratius, Bishop of Tavromena | No post |
| July 10 | Friday | The 45 Holy Martyrs of Nikopol, Armenia | Fasting day |
| July 11 | Saturday | Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga ; Holy Martyr Euphemia | No post |
| July 12 | Sunday | For the sake of Christ, the fool John; the holy martyrs Proclus and Hilary | No post |
| July 13 | Monday | Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Gabriel; Venerable Stephen of Savvait | No post |
| July 14 | Tuesday | Holy Apostle Aquila | No post |
| July 15 | Wednesday | Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir the Great | Fish and wine are allowed (for the holiday) |
| July 16 | Thursday | The Holy Martyrs Athenagenes and His 10 Disciples | No post |
| July 17 | Friday | Holy Great Martyr Marina (Margarita) | Fasting day |
| July 18 | Saturday | Holy Martyrs Jacinth and Emilian | No post |
| July 19 | Sunday | Venerable Macrina, sister of Saint Basil the Great | No post |
| July 20 | Monday | Holy Glorious Prophet Elijah | No post |
| July 21 | Tuesday | Venerable Simeon and John; Holy Prophet Ezekiel | No post |
| July 22 | Wednesday | Saint Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles | Fasting day |
| July 23 | Thursday | The Holy Martyrs Trochimus, Theophilus and those with them | No post |
| July 24 | Friday | Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb; Holy Great Martyr Christina | Fasting day |
| July 25 | Saturday | Dormition of Saint Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary | No post |
| July 26 | Sunday | The Holy Martyr Hermolaus and those with him | No post |
| July 27 | Monday | Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon | No post |
| July 28 | Tuesday | The Holy Apostles Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas | No post |
| July 29 | Wednesday | Holy Martyr Callinicus | Fasting day |
| July 30 | Thursday | The Holy Apostles Silas, Silvanus, Andronicus and Others | No post |
| July 31 | Friday | The Feast of the Presentation of the Holy Woods of the Life-Giving Cross | Fasting day |
Features of fasting in July 2026
Since there are no major multi-day fasts during this month, believers should only observe the traditional one-day fasts on Wednesdays and Fridays . And let’s remember that fasting is not only about food, but also about other pleasures that should be abstained from on this day.
An important exception: on July 15, the day of memory of Prince Volodymyr the Great, despite the fact that it is a Wednesday, the church charter relaxes the rules of eating. In honor of the great holiday, believers are allowed to add fish dishes and a glass of dry wine to their diet.
July 31 is the day before the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This is a kind of bridge to the Assumption Fast, which will begin on August 1, 2026.
Read also: Orthodox church calendar for July 2026 according to the old style
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the church calendar for July
When is Prophet Elijah Day celebrated in 2026?
According to the new Julian calendar, the day of remembrance of the prophet Elijah is celebrated on July 20. According to the old style, this holiday fell on August 2.
Is there a Peter’s fast in July 2026?
No. In 2026, due to the early Easter (April 12) and, accordingly, the early Trinity (May 31), the Apostolic (Peter’s) Lent was completely shifted to June and ended before the feast of Peter and Paul. There are no multi-day fasts in July.
When is Volodymyr’s Day according to the new OCU calendar?
The Day of Remembrance of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr is now celebrated on July 15. A state holiday, Ukrainian Statehood Day, is tied to the same date.
How does the transition to the new birthday calendar work?
All name days (angel days) according to the New Julian style have been moved back 13 days. If your patron saint is Saint Panteleimon, then angel day is now not August 9, but July 27.
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